十二点钟

泰戈尔

TWELVE O'CLOCK

MOTHER, I do want to leave off my lessons now. I have been at my book all the morning.

You say it is only twelve o'clock. Suppose it isn't any later; can't you ever think it is afternoon when it is only twelve o'clock?

I can easily imagine now that the sun has reached the edge of that rice-field, and the old fisher-woman is gathering herbs for her supper by the side of the pond.

I can just shut my eyes and think that the shadows are growing darker under the madar tree, and the water in the pond looks shiny black.

If twelve o'clock can come in the night, why can't the night come when it is twelve o'clock?

作者泰戈尔：拉宾德拉纳特-泰戈尔（1861年-1941年），印度诗人、文学家、社会活动家、哲学家和印度民族主义者。1861年5月7日，拉宾德拉纳特泰戈尔出生于印度加尔各答一个富有的贵族家庭，13岁即能创作长诗和颂歌体诗集……

泰戈尔作诗《十二点钟》，认为小孩的天性是玩耍，学习应该在玩耍中进行，而不是关在房间里、伏在书桌上。因此诗中的小孩才希望十二点钟是可以玩耍的下午、是可以睡觉的深夜。

作者、朗读老师  洁白：中学英语高级教师，喜欢朗读，中国互联网朗诵联盟会员。希望通过自己的声音向世界传播中国文化，讲好中国故事。